Thursday, February 10, 2011

FIFA Insists Egyptian League Should Remain Suspended

FIFA, soccer's world body, has advised the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), to maintain its suspension of all professional league matches until security in Egypt has been re-established.

“FIFA set a condition that there must be sufficient security for players and fans before deciding to resume games,” EFA president Samir Zaher told CNN.

“They also required that all clubs must state their approval to continue the competition,” Zaher said.

More than two weeks of mass anti-government protests in which militant soccer fans play a key role have paralyzed Egypt. The protesters demand an immediate end to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.

Contradicting Al Ahly and Zamalek’s pressure on the EFA to lift the suspension of premier league games, a number of other Egyptian coaches argue that matches should not be resolved until the protests have ended.

“The players are exhausted as they have all been awake all nights guarding their houses over the past few days. My foreign players are still very anxious as their embassies asked them to leave Egypt due to the current situation,” said Alexandria club Ittihad coach Mohamed Amer.

“Above all we need people back in the stands because there is no reason to hold a competition without supporters who are distracted by this unrest,” Amer added.

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James M DorseyWelcome to The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer by James M. Dorsey, a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Soccer in the Middle East and North Africa is played as much on as off the pitch. Stadiums are a symbol of the battle for political freedom; economic opportunity; ethnic, religious and national identity; and gender rights. Alongside the mosque, the stadium was until the Arab revolt erupted in late 2010 the only alternative public space for venting pent-up anger and frustration. It was the training ground in countries like Egypt and Tunisia where militant fans prepared for a day in which their organization and street battle experience would serve them in the showdown with autocratic rulers. Soccer has its own unique thrill – a high-stakes game of cat and mouse between militants and security forces and a struggle for a trophy grander than the FIFA World Cup: the future of a region. This blog explores the role of soccer at a time of transition from autocratic rule to a more open society. It also features James’s daily political comment on the region’s developments. Contact: incoherentblog@gmail.comView my complete profile